Harry Potter 19 Years Later: The Escapee and the Ministry
by SlytherinIceMist
Summary: 19 years after Harry Potter's victory over Lord Voldemort, his son Albus is going to Hogwarts for the 1st time. All was supposed to be well, until an old foe escapes Azkaban, intent on overruling Hermione as Minister for Magic. (This story will be going back and forth between the kids and the adults, but might focus more on Albus Potter.)


**Author's notes:**

 **1 – Please keep in mind that all rights of everything Harry Potter related belong to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing.**

 **2 – English is not my main language, so if you spot any problems with spelling, grammar, phrasal structure, repetition of expressions and stuff like that, that might be the cause. Any constructive criticism on how to better my writing in English is welcome and appreciated.**

 **3 – I'm still not sure of the whole plot of this story, and where it will lead. I just had an idea and started it, so I might not be updating constantly. But I will surely write a complete story.**

 **Chapter 1: New Faces and Old Ones**

Albus turned around when the train left the station and he lost sight of his father. There were kids everywhere dragging luggage around, trying to find empty compartments. Looking to his left, he saw his big heavy trunk and his owl cage on top. He had to find a seat too. The problem was he also had to find his cousins in the middle of all that confusion. This was not such a hard task as he expected, though. He spotted a great amount of red hair from afar, next to some windows, and he realized where his cousins were right away.

'There you are, Albus,' said Rose when she saw him. 'I was about to go looking for you.'

'I was just waving Dad goodbye,' answered Albus. 'What are all of you guys up to?'

'We're not up to anything,' said Victoire with an annoyed facial expression, which meant something _was_ up. 'Everyone's just teasing me about Teddy. Louis started it.'

'I didn't start anything! I was just asking you what that was all about.'

'Can anyone tell me what's going on?' asked Albus, frowning. 'In a way I can actually understand it, please.'

'It's pretty simple, in fact. Before the train was leaving, Teddy was speaking to Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione in a very agitated way, and they looked like they were celebrating something. Louis asked me what that was about, and when I said I had no idea, he just kept asking me questions and bothering me…'

'That's because you're his girlfriend!'

'So? Being his girlfriend doesn't mean I have to know everything that goes on in his life. If you were capable of understanding and respecting that, maybe Holly Willoughby would accept to go out on a date with you.'

Louis perfect cheeks turned to red in a heartbeat, and a worried gasp left his mouth. 'Fine, I'm just going to find Matthew and I'll see you later.' He had already turned around mid-sentence and left for another train car.

'Finally,' Victoire took a deep breath. 'Ok, so I already wasted a bunch of time thanks to my brother. What a great example I'm setting for the younger students! I should've been at the front of the train twenty minutes ago. Molly, Fred, Dominique, you have to come too.'

'We know, we know,' said Fred starting to move, smiling and waving at Albus and Rose on the way. Fred was one of Albus' favourite cousins. He resembled his father George and late Uncle Fred. Like them, he had that marauder look about him. What he didn't have, on the other hand, was the same taste for getting into trouble. Fred was one of the funniest guys in the family, but he was also serious about school. According to what Albus had heard over the holidays, Fred was the only fifth-year in the Weasley family who felt confident enough about the O.W.L.s. Even Molly, who was known as a bookworm almost as much as Aunt Hermione was, was having a hard time dealing with all the pressure.

'Albus, Rose, I'm sorry we don't have much time to spend with you guys,' said Victoire. 'You'll have to figure out stuff on your own. We have a lot of responsibility. Have a nice trip.'

'Later, sis,' said Fred to his sister Roxanne. She smiled and said 'Later!' The siblings were also great friends, and they were seen spending time together very often. Uncle George had once said it was because of what had happened to Uncle Fred. Roxanne and Fred spent as much time as possible together, in case one day life decided to separate them in whatever way. Albus had thought this was quite sad, but Uncle George said it made him proud his children were like him and his brother used to be.

'And don't worry guys, we got them,' said Roxanne, pointing at Albus and Rose. 'Right, Lucy?'

'Sure, we do!' Lucy answered with the brightest smile Albus had ever seen. She had always been one of the most dedicated cousins, always ready to provide help to whomever was in need of it.

The others left and the family group was now much smaller. Albus looked at Rose, Roxanne and Lucy, and as the three girls started walking in front of him to find an empty compartment, he realized he hadn't seen his brother.

'Hey, has anyone seen James?'

'He ran off with his friends as soon as he entered the train,' said Rose. 'They were going to show him a new broomstick, I believe. Sorry,' she added, when she saw the disappointment in Albus' face.

'Oh, it's ok,' said Albus trying to sound convincing. It _wasn't_ really ok for him. James was like this. He and his brother were good buddies at home, there was no denying that. But James didn't take things very seriously. Albus expected his brother to be beside him during his first trip to Hogwarts, and tell him about the basic stuff he needed to know. However, like Dad had told him at King's Cross, he shouldn't believe everything James said about Hogwarts anyway. He liked to make stuff up to scary him, sometimes.

They finally found an empty compartment and entered. Albus was relieved. It felt like he packed the whole house inside his trunk, and his arms already hurt after dragging it around for so long. Now the problem was, he had to put them up in the luggage storage space, and he couldn't reach it. Lifting the trunk up in the air was impossible for him as well. Roxanne seemed to read his mind, and with a simple swish and then a flick of her wand she said ' _Wingardium Leviosa_ ' and Albus and Rose's trunks were lifted in the air, along with Roxanne's own luggage, and deposited in the storage. Lucy did the same for her things, and they all sat down. Albus opened his owl cage. Out flew his blue-eyed snowy owl. He had named her Frosty. He opened the window and Frosty flew out. It had been quite a long time since she last had a flight, so she was in great need of stretching her wings.

'Poor Victoire, she can never catch a break with her brother,' started Lucy.

'Why was Louis bothering her about Teddy?' asked Albus.

'It's his typical behaviour. You know how Victoire, Dominique and Louis have the _veela_ genes from Aunt Fleur. As you would expect, it's easy for _veelas_ to get other people's attentions. Victoire and Dominique both have boyfriends. Louis is the only one of the three who's not snogging anyone, so he fears he might not be _veela_ enough, which means pretty enough, to get a girlfriend. Silliness,' said Roxanne.

'Victoire is the new Head Girl of Gryffindor isn't she?' asked Rose. She remembered her Dad mention it at dinner last month.

'Yes, she is. Another reason why she was so upset. She's not sure she can handle all the responsibility that comes with it. She already had a hard time being a Prefect. It's not like she doesn't have enough help, I mean, Dominique also became a Prefect last year, and this year Molly and my brother Fred became Prefects too. The other Gryffindor Prefects are pretty helpful as well. There is no reason for Victoire to worry so much, but she just can't help it.'

'Wow, the Weasleys have all the important tasks at Hogwarts!' said Albus in amazement. If most of the Weasleys were in charge of Gryffindor House, then that must be where all the fun is at in Hogwarts. Of course, he didn't know what House he would be in yet. He was afraid he would become a Slytherin, the House known in the past as the House of Dark Wizards and Witches. It's true his whole family, especially his Dad, had played a great part in changing that over the years. But such a reputation is never forgotten by anyone. People would expect Albus to be a Gryffindor, like his brother James, and pretty much most of the Potter and Weasley families. He wasn't so sure himself, as he never felt he was brave enough. He thought of Hufflepuff, but hardworking would never be a dictionary definition for Albus Potter. He didn't help much around the house, as he was a lazy kid. He was never smart enough for Ravenclaw, so that left Slytherin as the only obvious option. He considered himself ambitious. After all, he had to live up to the world-famous Harry Potter, right?

'Yes, I guess you could say we Weasleys dominate Gryffindor House,' said Roxanne with a playful smile. 'If you take a look at Gryffindor Quidditch Team: Fred and I, we're the Beaters; Victoire, Dominique and Louis are the Chasers; Lucy here is the Keeper; and of course, you know your brother James is the Seeker.' It was obvious Albus knew that. James had been selected for the position of Seeker last year. Almost every letter he sent home was about the matches, and he spent the whole summer visiting friends to play Quidditch with. Mum and Dad were so proud. Both had played Quidditch before, when they were younger. Mum was even a member of the Holyhead Harpies for some time. 'Being in Gryffindor is almost like being back home, with everyone there. You'll see when you join us.'

'Are you sure I'll be in Gryffindor too?' Albus asked.

'Why wouldn't you be? You're a lot like your parents.'

'Thank you, Lucy.'

'I wouldn't say the same for Rose. About being in Gryffindor, I mean. You are so much more like Aunt Hermione. Maybe you'll be Ravenclaw.'

'You think so too?' Rose seemed happy about the idea. 'I was talking to Mum yesterday about this, and she thought the same. I agree. I'm still worried about what Dad might think of this, though. He's always so proud to mention our whole family has been Gryffindor since… ever, I think.'

'There's no use in thinking about it. Once the Sorting is done, you will have many other things in your mind. Besides, the Hat sees inside your head. He knows what's best. He knows us better than we know ourselves,' said Roxanne.

'Tell us more about Hogwarts, please,' asked Rose. She had been talking about school all the time for the past week. She wanted to know everything she could possibly fit into her big brain. 'Our parents told us a lot of things, but I expect it's all very out-dated. After all, it's been a while for them, hasn't it?'

'We can't possibly tell you everything there is to know,' said Roxanne, entertained by Rose's excitement. She always liked how her cousin had a thing for knowledge, and a curiosity like no one else, not even Aunt Hermione. 'The castle and school grounds are the same they were in our parents' time, when you compare their descriptions to what we've seen. Houses are more united than they were all those years ago. We still have a lot of rivalry when it comes to Quidditch and marks, of course. The only thing we could call new is the staff.'

'Oh yes,' said Lucy in excitement. 'On the final day of exams, last June, I heard Professor McGonagall say they had a lot of new people to hire. Several teachers are retiring, so I expect we will have at least four new ones. I know this because Professor McGonagall asked me to go to her office to talk about a… small situation I had, and Aunt Hermione was there discussing the staff problem with the Professor.'

'Mum is always running around taking care of things. That's a Minister's life, I guess,' Rose pronounced the word 'Minister' with emphasis. She had always liked the fact her mother was in charge of governing the British Wizarding Community. 'But what was that small situation you were talking about?'

'Well… a Slytherin girl from my Potions class dropped some weird experimental green potion on my pumpkin juice at lunch. When I got to the exam classroom, I was suffering from uncontrollable burps every five minutes, so I was sent away to the hospital wing. I couldn't do my Charms exam, so Professor McGonagall asked me to go to her office to tell me she was aware of the situation, and I could do my exam another day.'

Lucy's story seemed to cause uncontrollable laughter in the same way the green potion caused uncontrollable burping, because Rose was now lying on her back, holding on to her belly, producing a shrill laugh, while Albus was wiping away tears from his eyes. Roxanne was smiling, but not with such intensity, as surely this story wasn't new to her.

'My Dad was right, Hogwarts is a place of fun,' said Albus, still wiping his eyes, now with a red handkerchief with the letter "A" embroidered in gold. It had been a birthday gift from Grandma Molly. She was pretty confident Albus would be a Gryffindor, so she chose Gryffindor colours. 'But I have to say, I'm a bit sad we won't get to meet the old teachers from their time. Mum and Dad made them sound so cool in all the stories they told us at home.'

Meanwhile, the compartment door opened on its own, and a tiny paper plane flew in and fell on Roxanne's lap. She unfolded it. 'A note from Fred. He's off Prefect duty at the moment, and it seems like one of our friends learned a new spell they want to show me. I think you guys will be ok, so I'll see you later, alright? Maybe I'll find the trolley witch on the way. I really need a cauldron cake with blueberry cream. They're the best ones, I'll duel you on that!' she put her tongue out and with a smile she left the compartment, the door closing on its own behind her.

'You will still see some familiar faces at Hogwarts. You know, from our parents' time,' said Lucy. 'As I said before, Professor McGonagall is still there as Headmistress. Professor Sinistra still teaches Astronomy. The tiny Professor Flitwick still teaches Charms. Madam Hooch still teaches first-years how to fly, and referees Quidditch matches. Neville teaches Herbology, as you know. Professor Binns still teaches History of Magic, but I guess he always will, he's a ghost.'

'I remember my Mum talking about Professor Binns,' said Rose. 'Even she had a hard time paying attention to his classes. The fact she wasn't very fond of his classes worries me. History of magic sounds so interesting!'

'The only thing Dad told me about Professor Binns is that he died in the staff room, but he still got up as a ghost and went to class as usual. He might be boring, but you have to agree he's dedicated,' said Albus.

'Professor Slughorn still teaches Potions,' continued Lucy. 'I wish he didn't. He has a special taste for famous students. Or students who come from famous families, like ours. It's annoying.'

'Dad told me that too. He liked my grandma Lily a lot. She was very good at Potions. And he came back to Hogwarts because my Dad was studying there at the time.'

'Professor Trelawney still teaches Divination, but I heard the number of enrolled students for Divination keeps dropping every year. I understand why. She looks scary with those big glasses. And Hagrid still teaches Care of Magical Creatures. So you see, not everyone is gone. Well, they _weren't_. We'll have some new teachers this year. It'll be fine. I like new people. Oh, I almost forgot. Argus Filch is still there too. Cleaning and yelling at students. He's getting old. He can barely go up or down the stairs, but he insists on working there. He has a new cat, Mrs. Norris II.'

There was a knock on the compartment door. A small girl with long black hair and a face full of pimples waved at Lucy. She told her to get inside, and the girl did so. 'Hello, Lucy,' she said.

'Hello, Whitney. Albus, Rose, this is one of my best friends at Hogwarts, Whitney Huckleberry. Whitney, these are Albus Potter and Rose Granger-Weasley, my first-year cousins.'

'Hello, guys. Welcome to Hogwarts. Lucy, I've been looking for you all over the train. Everyone is sharing a compartment, we thought it was strange you didn't join us.'

'I'm just spending time with my cousins. You know, it's their first time. But I'll join you later, ok?'

'Ok. We're towards the front, in the third car. Bye, guys.'

'You can join your friends, Lucy. We'll be fine on our own, really.'

'Oh, it's not that, Rose. Not really. The reason I didn't want to join them is… ok, I'll tell you, but it's a secret!'

'We won't tell anyone,' Albus assured her.

'So, last year, there was this Gryffindor boy, Henry Boogeytart. I know, his name is hilarious,' added Lucy when Albus and Rose laughed. 'He has been a good friend to me. But by the end of the school year, he offered me a flower and told me I was pretty. And that is nice, but I didn't know what to do. He wrote me a lot all summer, but I didn't write back. He'll be very angry at me, I expect.'

'Lucy, you're a Weasley. You're brave enough to deal with that. You can't avoid him forever. School is about to start,' said Rose.

'I know. I have to think of something. But not now.'

Albus and Rose were feeling all sorts of emotions. They still had plenty of questions, but they started to understand that most things would have to be experienced by themselves. Lucy kept talking to her cousins about Hogwarts. Albus and Rose discovered something they didn't know about their cousin. She was a walking disaster. She was the kind of person who always trips over everything and lets things fall from her hands. She was known at Hogwarts for her bad luck. She was telling them about a time she got stuck in a fake step on the staircase, when the compartment door opened.

'Hello. Would you mind sharing your compartment with me? I was at the back of the train with some Slytherin boys but they ignored me when they realized who I was. So I just stayed in a corner by myself, but they were so noisy and I was trying to read this b…' The young, blond, and very pale boy who walked in couldn't say anything else when he saw who was in front of him. 'Sorry, I didn't realize who you were. Of course you don't want to share your space with me. I'll be going. Bye.'

'Wait!' called Albus. 'Come in. Sit with us, please. It's ok.'

'Are you sure?'

'Yes, we are. What's the problem? You're Scorpius, right? I'm Rose.'

'Yes, I'm Scorpius… Malfoy,' he said Malfoy in a whisper, as if he was too afraid or ashamed to be part of the family. 'That's why I don't think we should be in the same place. You're Weasleys,' he said looking at the girls. 'And you're Potter?'

Albus nodded in agreement. 'I still don't see a reason you wouldn't join us. Our parents were rivals, we know. But that's because our families were rivals. That's not the case anymore, is it? We don't have to be like them. Albus Potter, nice to meet you.' Albus stood up and put out his hand, waiting for Scorpius to shake it.

'Besides, we would like some acquaintances outside our family, you know. It would be nice for a change.' Rose stood up, ready to greet Scorpius too. 'Rose Granger-Weasley, nice to meet you.'

Scorpius smiled and felt encouraged to walk inside the compartment, shaking hands with Albus and Rose. 'I'm Lucy, nice to meet you.' Lucy greeted Scorpius and levitated his luggage into the storage space above the seats.

'Thank you, Lucy,' said Scorpius taking a seat next to Albus.

'If there is something my Dad taught me,' said Albus, 'is that Hogwarts is no fun when you're alone. The Hogwarts Express is the place to make your first friendships. I don't want to see someone feeling lonely like my Dad felt, before he met Uncle Ron.'

'Speaking of that, why _are_ you alone?' asked Rose. 'I would expect a Malfoy to have friends even before Hogwarts.'

'Well, you see… when all of your Dad's friends are in Azkaban, they don't really have children, which means no friends to play with. Mum is ill, so she doesn't get out of the house much, doesn't talk to anyone besides family. It's a family curse.' Scorpius was looking at the floor while talking. Rose put her hand on his shoulder.

'Sorry about your Mum, Scorpius. And please, don't be ashamed of who you are. Like you, we're new. We weren't there when things happened. It's not on us.'

'Rose, it's easy for us to talk. I mean, our parents are the famous saviours of our world. I can't imagine how hard it must be for someone who's the son of one of the bad guys. I'm sure it's not easy.'

'It's not, Albus. Reading helps, though.' Scorpius showed the book he said he had been reading. _Good Slytherins of the Wizarding World_. 'Dad bought it for me when we were shopping at Diagon Alley. We're sure I'll be a Slytherin, so he's trying to make me feel better about it. It's actually a nice read. What have you guys been reading? Do you guys even like reading? Sorry, I'm kind of a nerd.'

'Nerd? Reading is the most fascinating of activities!' said Rose. 'I read a lot. I have a whole library to myself at home. Mum loves books too. The last one I read was _Hogwarts, A History_. Mum recommended it, of course. You can't imagine how much I've learned about the school. Have you read that one?'

Scorpius and Rose started a frantic discussion about books and the wonders of reading. Albus wasn't much into books, so he looked at Lucy, searching for help. He didn't want to feel left out.

'Lucy, have you got any more of those eventful stories of yours?'

'Plenty. Let me think. Oh, I haven't told you the one about how I accidentally threw a pudding at Filch's forehead.'

Time passed by like a Firebolt. A very thin ray of Sun was still visible outside, but the sky was getting darker. Albus, Rose and Scorpius were now sharing childhood memories, mostly the funniest stories they could remember. The three were becoming good friends. Lucy stood up.

'Guys, it's getting dark out, which means we'll be arriving in about two or three hours. You should change into your robes, boys.' Rose was already in her robes when she boarded the train. 'I'm going to meet my friends. I have to talk to Henry before we get to Hogwarts. It's time to be a proper Weasley.' After receiving an encouraging smile from Rose, Lucy left. Rose turned her attention back to Scorpius, who was about to tell them the story of the one he said was the funniest moment ever in his life.

'So, Grandma was out of town for a couple of days. Grandpa had to stay by himself. Now, they haven't been able to convince any house-elves to work at their house. Even the house-elves are ashamed of what they did. That meant Grandpa had to take care of things at home. So he invites me and Dad for dinner. We arrive, knock on the door and wait. When the door opens, I see Grandpa holding a tray with a bunch of chocolate cupcakes. He was wearing bright yellow kitchen gloves, and a blue apron with a big smiley unicorn in the middle.' Albus and Rose lost it and laughed like they were in a madhouse. When they were able to recover, Scorpius continued. "I ran inside straight away and yelled 'sorry, I really have to use the loo.' But I was lying. I just needed a safe place to laugh."

'I'll never think of Lucius Malfoy the same way again,' said Rose, her cheeks already hurt from so much laughter.

'Dad told me later he was glad I ran away to laugh. Grandpa had no idea how to use the spells required for housekeeping and cooking, so he ended up doing everything the Muggle way. He was very ashamed of himself.'

Rose suddenly stood up and ran to the compartment door. She opened it and looked into the outside corridor. She quickly came back grinning as if Christmas came earlier that year.

'Guys, get your money pouches and let's count our coins. The trolley witch is coming, and I'm having at least one of each thing she has.'

'Hungry, are you?' asked Scorpius.

'A lot. But it's not just that. My grandparents are dentists.' Scorpius looked puzzled when he heard that word. 'Dentists are Muggle doctors who specialize in fixing people's teeth. They are always forbidding me to have sugar, and when I'm not around, they keep bothering Mum about it too. So I decided that at Hogwarts I would have as many sweets and desserts as I wanted to.'

'Anything from the trolley, dears?' said the witch at their door.

'Yes, please,' said Rose, running to her with a pouch full of coins.

When the seats had sweets all over them and they started eating, Albus' owl Frosty came in through the window.

'Hello, Frosty. You came just in time for food. You're always there at the right time, aren't you? Say hello to our new friend, Scorpius Malfoy.'

'Hello, Frosty. Fancy a cauldron cake?' Scorpius took a piece of cake and showed it to Frosty. The owl landed on his shoulder, smelled the cake, and ate it. She looked at the boy. He smiled at the owl. Frosty gave him a gentle peck on the tip of the nose. Scorpius looked startled for a second.

'Don't worry, Scorpius. It means she likes you,' said Albus.

'Ok, I'm glad. Just out of curiosity, what does she do when she _doesn't_ like someone?'

Albus looked more serious now. 'Well, there was this Muggle neighbour of ours… Frosty wasn't fond of him at all, and… she tried to take one of his eyes out. We stopped it, of course. Mum had to do a lot of memory charms to make him forget.'

The Hogwarts Express finally arrived at Hogsmeade Station. Students were now leaving the train. They were told they were supposed to leave their luggage on the train, as it would be taken up to the castle by the staff. Albus wasn't sure about what to do with Frosty, so the owl decided for him and flew in the direction of the school. When they were out in the station, a big voice like thunder was calling. They saw a half-giant holding a lantern. It was their family friend, Hagrid.

'Firs' years, firs' years with' me. Hey, firs' years, come with me, please. Hello there, Albus, Rose,' said Hagrid when he saw them. 'I can't believe how fast y'all grow. Welcome to Hogwarts. I expect ye'll join me fer tea on Friday, after yer classes. Ok, firs' years with me. Firs' years come this way, please.'

All the first years boarded the small boats, divided into groups. Albus, Rose, and Scorpius all boarded the same boat, and shared it with two other girls. One of them had very wavy brown hair and dark skin. She introduced herself as Peggy Winifred. The other one, blond hair and a very red face, didn't seem particularly interested in talking, but still said her name was Alyssa Geoffrey. They arrived at the castle and were taken inside, just outside two giant doors. Beyond those doors, the noise of overlapped conversations was heard clearly. A tiny little man came out of those doors, singing to himself, smiling at all the new faces. He took out his wand and pointed it at the ground. A great block of stone rose up. He levitated, and stood up on it.

'Can everyone see me? Great. Welcome students! I am Professor Flitwick, Hogwarts' Deputy Headmaster, Charms teacher, and Head of Ravenclaw House. In a moment, you're about to enter the Great Hall, where your Sorting will take place. You will be selected to be part of one of the four Hogwarts Houses. Those are Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. All of them have their unique characteristics and skills. Your House will be like your second family here at Hogwarts. You will work as a team. Your accomplishments throughout the year will earn you points. But if you misbehave, you will lose points. At the end of the school year, the House with the most points wins the House Cup. We also have the Quidditch Tournament, and the Quidditch Cup. You first years are not allowed to compete, unless in very specific situations, so just worry about cheering for your classmates, friends, and family members. Now, follow me into the Great Hall, and let's begin the Sorting Ceremony.'

The doors opened and everyone walked in. The amazement in everyone's faces was noticeable, seeing so many people around the four big tables, hundreds of candles floating everywhere, and of course, the ceiling who looked exactly like the night sky outside, lit by the bright stars. It was everything like their parents had told them. Actually, it was even better. In the middle of the Hall there was a small stool, and on it was an old hat. They were both standing right in front of the teachers' table, but no one really paid attention to them. Albus, Rose and Scorpius were focused on the hat. It stood up, a rip at the front opened up, and he started singing.

' _Brave he was_

 _The one they adore_

 _A noble man_

 _Godric Gryffindor_

 _Smart and witty_

 _Like no one ever saw_

 _The most beautiful lady_

 _Rowena Ravenclaw_

 _Ambitious and sly_

 _He liked to win_

 _The purest of bloods_

 _Salazar Slytherin_

 _Commitment and hard work_

 _She never had enough_

 _The soul of the party_

 _Helga Hufflepuff_

 _So tell me young student_

 _Which one is your mentor_

 _Just try me on_

 _And I'll show you your splendour'_

The Sorting Hat was a surprisingly good singer. Dad had told Albus the Hat changed his song every year. He imagined how hard it must be to come up with something new after centuries, but the Hat seemed to be doing ok. He was now bowing to the students and everyone was clapping. Then, Professor Flitwick stood up on the teachers' table, unrolled a long piece of parchment, and started calling out names. The Hat's decisions were quicker than Albus expected, so he wasn't sure if he felt more at ease, or even more nervous now. Professor Flitwick called 'Granger-Weasley, Rose' and she walked to the Hat, breathing heavily. She sat there and saw everyone disappear from view inside the Hat. 'Let's see, another Weasley. But not the same kind of Weasley. Oh, there is a lot of Granger in you too. Quite a good amount of bravery and strength, I admit. However, your insatiable desire for knowledge is just simply too much to ignore. The House of Gryffindor would suit you, but it wouldn't do that great brain justice, no. So it is… RAVENCLAW!' The Hall erupted in applause, and Rose took baby steps to the Ravenclaw table. She wasn't sure about how she felt. Over at the Gryffindor table all her cousins looked at her in amazement, but they still clapped and smiled at her, gave her thumbs up, and nodded in agreement. It was sad she wouldn't spend as much time with the family as she wanted to, but everyone knew how she was much better suited for Ravenclaw. Not long after, Professor Flitwick called 'Malfoy, Scorpius' and the blond boy put on the Hat. 'Haha,' laughed the Hat. 'A Malfoy boy. Just like your grandfather and father too. Not quite like them. You have a better heart. Nice enough to consider Hufflepuff.' Scorpius gasped under the Hat. 'Don't worry, young pupil. Your head is full of greatness, desire, hopes, and dreams. There are many obstacles and achievements ahead of you. The only way you can follow that path, is on the House of… SLYTHERIN!' Everyone in the Hall clapped, but not with the same intensity as many of the other students before. Scorpius looked relieved but at the same time sad. He waved at Albus and then at Rose. His only friends he's had so far are not going to be as close as he hoped now. He was well received at the Slytherin table, and some boys and girls shook his hand. Maybe things wouldn't be as bad as he thought. After some other names, Professor Flitwick finally called out 'Potter, Albus'. This was it. The moment was coming. Whatever happens, happens. He tried on the Hat. 'Potter, eh? You are a lot like your father. And your mother too. Potter and Weasley. An explosive combination, no doubt about that. I remember your father was a tough nut to crack. It was particularly difficult to sort him. With you, on the other hand, things seem much more simple. Strength beyond measure, bravery buried deep inside. You don't even know you have it in you yet. But you do, young one, you do. A tremendous need to prove yourself. That is bound to happen when you have to live up to the great Harry Potter. Indeed. Well, I have no doubts about this. GRYFFINDOR!' Albus breathed as if he just ran a Muggle marathon. He was a Gryffindor after all. His cousins were jumping around the table, shouting and clapping. Another Gryffindor in the family. Out of nowhere, his brother James jumped at him and lifted him up from the ground in a tight hug, shouting 'MY BROTHER IS A GRYFFINDOR!' Albus laughed out loud. His brother was praising him. It felt great. 'But then again, maybe the Hat had too much Firewhisky. Do you think hats can get drunk?' And there was old James again. 'Just kidding, brother. Mum and Dad will be so happy for you.' Yes, Albus thought so to. Albus took the time to look at the teachers' table now. He saw some familiar faces, as expected. However, he also saw some familiar faces which were not expected at all. There was only one student left, one of the girls who shared a boat with Albus, and Professor Flitwick called out 'Winifred, Peggy'. In a matter of seconds, the Hat shouted 'HUFFLEPUFF' and Professor Flitwick took the Hat and the stool away. Albus was still thinking about who he saw at the teachers' table, and turned to his cousins asking 'Isn't that…' but he was interrupted when everyone quieted down, and an old lady with a stern look on her face stood up.

'Welcome first-years and everyone else, to another year at Hogwarts. I am Professor Minerva McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Before we begin our feast, I have a few announcements and warnings. I would like to tell our new students, and remind our old ones, that the Forbidden Forest is, obviously, forbidden. The only circumstance in which you may enter the Forest, is when attending your Care of Magical Creatures classes, in which case you'll be accompanied by your teacher. Our caretaker, Mr. Argus Filch, asks me once again to remind you that the use of magic and magical toys and other devices is not allowed on the corridors. A full list of forbidden items can be checked in his office. Now, the important announcements I have to make. Last year, a few teachers have retired, which means our staff has new members, starting tonight. First and foremost, let me introduce you to the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Ryker Spittford.' A young man stood up and waved, with a big grin on his face. Albus gaped. Professor Spittford didn't look at all like a teacher. He was wearing the weirdest outfit he's ever seen on a wizard. He had on a black cape from the regular wizard robes, but he didn't have any robes on. He wore some leather cuffs with silver spikes all over them. His nails were painted in black. He wore a black T-shirt with red skulls all over it. He had on black pants, buckled with a black belt covered in white square tacks. Albus could see the teacher's feet under the table, and noticed he wore black leather boots with silver spikes just like his cuffs. His hair was styled almost like a staircase, going higher at the front. It was short, and the colour was a bright blue. His eyes were a mix of pink and purple. In the Muggle world, he would be called a punk-rocker, or something of the sort. Albus heard a lot of people at the Ravenclaw table, mainly girls, mention how artistic and handsome the Professor looked.

'Are they sure he's _against_ the Dark Arts?' asked James.

'Professor Spittford is an Auror certified by Mr. Harry Potter, the Head of Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Magic. We believe Professor Spittford will fit right in at Hogwarts, and we wish him the best of luck.' McGonagall paused to allow students' applauses. 'Our next members of the staff are familiar faces to a lot of us. They have contributed to the Wizarding world, and Hogwarts, throughout their lives. First, to replace our old Potions Master Professor Slughorn, welcome the new Potions teacher, Professor Blaise Zabini.' Albus recognized the name. Blaise Zabini used to be friends with Scorpius' father Draco, when they were at Hogwarts. Dad mentioned him briefly a few times. 'Professor Zabini has always been one of the best Potion makers we've had, and he's an old Slytherin student. For that reason, Professor Zabini is also the new designated Head of Slytherin House.' Zabini waved and the students applauded. 'Rubeus Hagrid, our Keeper of Keys and Grounds, decided to retire from teaching as well. He will remain as our keeper. So, our new Care of Magical Creatures teacher is an old Ravenclaw student. Please welcome Professor Luna Scamander.' Albus knew who she was too. Known at home as Luna Lovegood, she was a personal friend of Mum and Dad. They were so close, they even named his sister Lily Luna. Albus had met Luna before. He found her quite peculiar. Not weird, exactly. She just had her own way of looking at the world. She also didn't look like a teacher, wearing a lettuce-green long dress, and a pumpkin as a hat. 'Professor Scamander, as you can tell by the name, is now a member of the family who contributed a lot to everything there is to know about magical creatures. She has been dedicating her life to the study of those creatures. I'm sure she will have a lot to share with all of you. Welcome back, Luna.' McGonagall sounded emotional for a moment. 'And finally, we have a new Transfiguration teacher as well. He's a not so old student, who some of you might still remember very clearly. He left Hogwarts only two years ago. Please welcome Professor Edward Lupin.' The whole Weasley family, Albus and James opened their mouths in shock. How could Teddy be a Hogwarts teacher at only nineteen?

'So I guess that's what he was celebrating at the station, then,' said Louis. Victoire was looking at her boyfriend. 'It's not fair. He will give you full marks!'

'No, he won't, silly,' said Victoire. 'I'm not taking N.E.W.T. level of Transfiguration. I'm not good at it.'

'We believe that Mr. Lupin's abilities as a Metamorphmagus, along with his exceptional academic work in that subject, provide him with what it takes to become a Hogwarts teacher. I would like to remind you all, and the Professor himself, that even though you might know each other, Mr. Lupin is a teacher, and you are the students. You should act appropriately around him. Your friendship remains, but your relationship at Hogwarts is purely academic,' McGonagall looked at everyone with a stern look, to ensure people realized she was not joking.

'You hear that, Victoire? No snogging Professor Lupin in the girls' bathroom.'

'Oh, shut up, Louis.'

'I would also like to inform those who are not yet aware, that the designated Head of Gryffindor House is Professor Longbottom, and the Head of Hufflepuff House is Madam Hooch. Now, it's time for dinner.'

Crazy amounts of food appeared all over the tables and everyone just started piling stuff up in their plates. Albus noticed Rose being very friendly with her Ravenclaw housemates, and Scorpius doing the same with the Slytherin ones. They might've all been separated, but they were not alone. Albus had a nice dinner with his cousins and brother, and was also able to meet two first-years by the name of Michael Bolt and Andy Smulders. They were friends before Hogwarts and were having fun throwing French fries at each other's heads. Frosty showed up just in time to try some roasted chicken, and after a few pecks, she flew away again. When the desserts came up, Albus heard Rose shout from the Ravenclaw table 'Look at all these desserts!' He laughed, looked at her, and she gave him a thumbs up with her mouth full of caramel pudding.

When the tables were empty, the Prefects rounded up the first-years and took them to their respective common rooms. Albus realized McGonagall didn't ask anyone to sing a school song, like his Dad told him Dumbledore had done in his first-year. Apparently, that had been Dumbledore thing. Albus was taken to the seventh-floor, where he knew they would be told the password to pass through the portrait of the Fat Lady. Victoire was leading the way, and when the Fat Lady asked for the password, she answered ' _Unicornis Cornu._ ' Albus confirmed everything his father had told him about it. It was beautiful and cosy. He would like to sit around meeting new people, but he noticed most of them, including all first-years, were already going to bed. He felt tired too, so he went upstairs to find his new bed. But before going to sleep, he wanted to write something to his parents and send it straight away, so they would read it first thing in the morning. When he entered his dormitory, Frosty was expecting him near an open window.

In the highest tower of Hogwarts, in the Ravenclaw dormitories, Rose was near her bedroom window, writing a letter to her mother as well. She borrowed a classmate's owl, and sent the letter. She wanted Mum to know about her Sorting first, so she could tell Dad the news in a safe way.

Meanwhile, away from Hogwarts, Rose's Mum, Hermione Granger-Weasley, Minister for Magic, was in her office going through her paperwork. You could barely see her desk, considering the crazy amount of documents on it, but she didn't feel bothered by it. She dealt with it as if it was homework from Hogwarts, back in the day. It was a task, and she had to do it. There was a knock on the office door. 'Come in,' Hermione said without looking up. 'Minister, I'm sorry to bother you so late, but Mr. Potter is here to see you.' Hermione immediately stopped what she was doing. 'Of course. Send him in, please.' The secretary left and Harry walked in.

'Evening, Hermione.'

'Evening, Harry. Please tell me you're just here for a talk, coffee, tea… something like that.'

'I'm afraid not, Hermione. Frederick just came back from Azkaban. The Azkaban Aurors reported a breakout.'

Hermione gasped. 'A breakout? Oh, this is definitely something we didn't need. How many? And were they high security prisoners? How did they even manage to escape? See, this is why I wasn't so sure about sending the Dementors away.'

'Hermione, it was _her_.'

'Her? Who…?' Hermione's eyes widened in terror. 'Please, tell me you don't mean…'

'Yes, Hermione. She escaped from Azkaban, somehow.'

'Harry, listen to me. I want you to personally go there and investigate. I can only believe it if you confirm it. I don't want to send out an SOS all over Britain without any certainty. I find it hard to believe she escaped all those spells we used on her cell. And she had _five_ Aurors watching over her, Harry!'

'I'll do it first thing in the morning. Azkaban is all closed down at night and they can't afford to drop any security protocol, even for me. Azkaban's location provides the best cover for escapees at night.'

'Wait. Azkaban is located on an Island. We have anti-Disapparition spells all around it. She can't have gone far yet. We can hunt her down.'

'Hermione, the Azkaban Aurors are on lockdown, and we cannot Apparate there. We would have to fly, and that would take about two or three hours. They reported the breakout one hour ago. Frederick just arrived with the report. We're not getting there in time. Besides, they also reported a robbery. There's a broomstick missing from the prison storage. It's likely she's the one who took it.'

'I knew she was a powerful witch, but I didn't think she could escape. We had so much security! Harry, go send Patronus to every active Auror we have, so they can patrol the country tonight. Tomorrow you'll go to Azkaban, and investigate the place. If everything checks out like the report, then we have to notify the press. We might have a mad witch out there, and we don't know what she wants. Our world is in danger again.'


End file.
